Staple.



R. L. LYNCH.

STAPLE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 11, 1014.

1,119,847, Patented Dec.- 8, 1914.

entor Lina/2,1

AHnrneys ROBERTL. LYNCH, OF CAMPBELLSBURG, KENTUCKY STAPLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

Application filed April 11, 1914. Serial No. 831,236.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT L. LYNCH, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Oampbellsburg, in the county of Henry and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Staple, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention contemplates the provision of staples of unique construction, for securing fence Wires or strands to a post in an effective and convenient manner. a

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes inthe precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention has been illustrated in its preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of one of the staples. Fig. 2 is a back viewof the improved staple. Fig. 3 is a perspective view thereof.

The staple 13 embodies a relatively rigid driving or body member 14 having a longitudinal open-ended slot 15 providing a pair of rigid prongs 16 which are sharpened at their free ends. The staple further includes a third prong 17 attached to the butt end portion of the driving member or body 14 and arranged intermediate the prongs 16, but at one side of the driving member or body 14. The prong 17 is curved, so that its intermediate portion is bowed away from the driving member 14, the prong 17 being flexible, and having its free end beveled or cut diagonally, asat 18, adjacent the free ends of the prongs 16, so as to form a corner 19 on the inside of the prong 17 and intermediate the ends of the said prong. The prong 17 is arranged to enter the slot 15 between the prongs 16 when the prong 17 is flexed, as illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. The rigid prongs 16 are provided with transverselyalining notches or grooves 20 adjacent the butt ends of the several prongs, the notches or grooves 20 cooperating with the inner curved side of the prong 17 to receive the fence wire 12 between the prong 17 and the prongs 16 in a convenient manner.

When the staple 13 is applied to a post,

the member 14 is driven by means of a ham-1 mer or other suitable member, the prongs 16 readily entering the post, without bending,

while the prong 17, due to its curved shape,

in entering the post, will flex toward the prongs 16, as seen in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and cause the fence wire 12 to be tightly gripped between the prong 17 and the prongs 16. The clampin or gripping action incident to the flexing 0% the prong 17, will tend to kink the wire 12 between the prongs 16, whereby the fence wire will be anchored or secured to the post, in such manner, as to prevent the wire becoming accidentally detached or Withdrawn from the staple, due

to the severe strain to which the wire is subjected. Another advantage due to the peculiar form of staple, resides in the fact that after the staple has been driven into the post, to lock the fence wire thereto, the

staple may be readily extracted or with drawn at any time, by engaging an extractor or other suitable implement between the rigid prongs 16, which is readily permissible without difficulty. The three pronged staple is therefore of advantage, primarily for securing the fence wire to the post in a thoroughly reliable manner, and further, for the other reasons above noted.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. A staple comprising a slotted driving member, and a flexible prong having its free portion arranged to enter the slot of the driving member.

2. A staple comprising a driving member having a longitudinal open slot, and a curved flexible prong having its free portion arranged to enter the said slot.

3. A staple including a pair of rigid driving prongs, and a third flexible curved prong arranged a between the aforesaid prongs and at one side thereof.

4. A staple including a pair of rigid driving prongs, and a flexible curved prong atas my own, I have hereto afiixed by signatached todthe butt ends of ghehaforfesakild ture in the presence of two Witnesses. rongs an arranged at one si e t ereo ,t e i'igid prongs having grooves adjacent their ROBERT LYNCH 5 "butt ends and cooperating with the inner Witnesses:

side of the curved prong to receive a Wire. W. D. OREM, In testimony that I claim theiforegoing H. R. OREM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Gommissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

